


Old Habits, New Chimera

by Goldstone_Wolf



Series: Aftermath [3]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Hypothermia, Illnesses, M/M, Pneumonia, Sickfic, Symptoms of the Last Two, Vomiting, migraines, old habits die hard, theo gets sick, tws for:
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-05
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:40:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24025213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Goldstone_Wolf/pseuds/Goldstone_Wolf
Summary: While still recovering from everything that’s happened, Theo gets sick…and decides to hide it. After all, it’s nothing more than a bad cold, and they’re going on a Pack hike. The fresh air will do him some good anyways…right?In other words, old habits—good or bad—are hard to break, and hiding weakness is one of Theo’s.
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski (background), Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken
Series: Aftermath [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1727239
Kudos: 95





	Old Habits, New Chimera

**Author's Note:**

> TWs are in the tags. If you think *this* fic is bad, then…honey, you’ve got quite the storm coming tomorrow, and that one’s multi-chapter. Today’s hints are “Orion” and “Apollo”, yesterday’s was “Artemis”. If you find the correlation between the three hints…congrats, you’ve got a bit of an advantage of knowing what’s coming. Let’s just say…it’s going to be a fun one (oh my gosh, I sound like a Disney villain with all these ellipses).  
> Now, thanks to Margot (Theo’s diner coworker who was an absolute rat) and Mr Coffee-is-an-Acceptable-Weapon, Theo has been fired from his diner job. His medical bills have been paid for already, however, so don’t worry about those. Let’s say that the money came from an anonymous benefactor (aka me, the person who wrote this little fanfiction series. Even though Theo probably has some blood money from the Dread Doctors that he can steal, although he may not ever use it).   
> Please do not repost anywhere else.  
> Now, onto the (sick) fic!

Theo woke up in Liam’s bed feeling awful.

It wasn’t the first time for either of those things. He got migraines often and he’d been hurt before. Since moving in, he’d wandered to the wolf’s bed more times than either of them could count, mostly after many a nightmare. Actually, it’d gotten to the point where Liam was expecting him.

Not that he ever complained about waking up to his boyfriend in his arms, of course.

At the moment, Liam had pinned Theo beneath him, a leg between Theo’s and his head on his shoulder. His arms were around Theo’s waist, likely bloodless from their combined weight, and yet Theo didn’t feel trapped in the slightest. Perhaps sick (he remembered one of the humans was getting over something), but chimeras didn’t _get_ sick.

He was pretty sure they didn’t, at least.

(The pounding migraine in his sinuses said otherwise, but he could just take some meds and be fine).

On top of him, Liam let out a sound fairly close to purring and opened those lovely blue eyes of his. “Theo…morning.” His arms tightened around Theo’s waist as he shifted his muscles awake, and then he kissed him.

Shoving at the wolf’s shoulder, Theo gasped out, “No, go brush your teeth. I am not kissing you with morning breath.” Liam pouted, flashed his eyes at him to show it. Theo flashed his own right back, smiling when Liam got up. “Don’t worry, little wolf. I’ll join you.” He pulled himself up after Liam, freezing when his vision went black and the world spun. Shaking it off, he stumbled into the bathroom and leaned on the counter. A hand went to the small of his back to steady him, and he blinked the spots away. “I’m alright, I promise. Just stood up to fast.”

Laughing quietly, Liam mused, “You must need more iron in your diet,” around a mouthful of toothpaste. Theo shot him a look, which just made them both laugh.

It was just a migraine.

He’d be fine.

+++

This was getting ridiculous.

They had been on the hike for fifteen minutes. It wasn’t even a _hard_ one, either. Despite this, even _Mason_ was outpacing him. Sure, he expected Stiles and Lydia to be capable of hiking (even if the latter was in heeled boots)—they had spent too long running with the wolves (and chimeras and whatever else made up their Pack) to _not_ be able to hike. But _Mason?_ The young man spent most of his time studying or with his nose in some number of books.

“Those hunters really did a number on you, Theo.” Malia pointed out as they hiked, looking back. She had paused to wait for him and Liam, who didn’t mind taking a leisurely stroll. “It’s okay to slow down.”

“I’m fine, Malia, thanks.” The werecoyote shrugged after a moment and bounded ahead. Panting, Theo stopped, feeling his stomach do a flip as he doubled over. The sticks and dead leaves littering the path in front of him swirled in a nauseating dance and he squeezed his eyes shut. California wasn’t even that hot, and he wasn’t even wearing a heavy jacket, but it felt like someone was roasting his insides.

“Theo, you okay?” Liam’s voice was all too close and all too distant, wavering between the two extremes.

“I’m fine, Liam. Just…just give me a moment. Please?” He heard Liam hesitate and then walk off. Leaning against a tree, he took a few shaky breaths and tried not to focus on how his joints were cracking open. _Come on, Theo. What hurts?_

The world was still spinning when he opened his eyes, gasping through his mouth and blinking. As he catalogued his aches and pains, he knew he should tell one of the others. It wasn’t a big deal. What _was_ a big deal was a severe illness (which this _wasn’t_ ).

Still, he could hear the Dread Doctors in the back of his mind, talking about weakness to another chimera. One who _had_ gotten sick. They told her how one weak link could break a chain. How weakness could not be tolerated. The fear in her eyes as she died, throat ripped out so violently she was almost decapitated, was almost tangibly burned into his mind.

He couldn’t show weakness.

~~They aren’t the Dread Doctors.~~

He couldn’t be the weak link.

~~They care about you.~~

He could not allow himself to be the weak link.

~~That’s not how Pack works.~~

Forcing his eyes open, unable to remember when he closed them, he straightened up and walked on, ignored the growing nausea in his stomach. Ignored the way the cold air raked his throat. Ignored how every footstep pounded an ice pick into his skull, ignored his throbbing ribs, ignored how every breath hurt and how every single step was jarring. Instead, he catalogued the symptoms, tucked them away. _It’s a migraine and a small cold. Nothing more._

Water sluiced through his boots, icy cold and almost thorn-piercing, and he glanced down. He was standing in a river. _Didn’t know we were going this way…_

He dimly recognised the horrible feeling of all the blood rushing from his head.

+++

Something was wrong.

For a few moments, Liam couldn’t tell what. The primal part of him was howling that something was wrong, though. Glancing around, he frowned. “Something’s wrong.” He finally announced, and Scott and Derek paused up ahead.

“What do you mean?” The latter asked, and Liam rubbed the back of his neck.

“I don’t—I don’t know. But something’s up.” Tilting his head back, he sniffed the air. What was missing?

“Hey, we’re going to do a head count!” Derek called to the rest of the group as they walked up the hill, then looked to Scott. As the pair counted, Liam searched faces. He came to the conclusion within seconds.

_“Where’s Theo?”_

Everyone paused and looked around, and Scott and Derek shared a glance in Liam’s peripheral. “Okay, who was the last one to see him? Does anyone have some of his clothing?” Scott immediately asked, glancing around at everyone.

Stiles, meanwhile, was already starting to walk back the way they came. “Isaac, Liam, come on. He might be back the way we came. Scott, Derek, why don’t you organise everyone else?” The others nodded, and Liam followed the older Pack members down the slope. “Liam, you’re the closest to Theo. Think you can sniff him out?”

“I don’t—I don’t know.” Glancing around, Liam knew his head was racing right now, knew he had to focus, but he just couldn’t. All he could think of was Theo, lying somewhere in the forest, dying. Maybe some hunters had ambushed him when no one had noticed. What if ARCHER’s owners came back for revenge? What if they were lying in wait for everyone else? Or what if it was—

“Liam!” He snapped out of it, realising from the others’ expressions that he must have been rambling out loud. Sharing a glance with Isaac and nodding his head to the side, Stiles went over and touched Liam’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, we’re going to find him. He can’t have gone far, right?”

“Y-yeah, I guess. He was with us just minutes ago, though, Stiles.” Glancing around, Liam tried scenting the air. He couldn’t smell anything specific, though. “Ugh, I can’t get anything!”

“Liam, you need to breathe, okay? Nothing bad is going to happen to Theo. He’s got the Pack now, everything is going to be fine.” Stiles reassured, and Liam glanced over to meet his gaze. In response, Stiles pulled him into a tight hug, adding, “Besides, Theo’s a jerk. We’re not getting rid of him that easily.”

“Stiles! Liam!” Isaac’s voice came from down the slope, and they both started hurrying down towards him. “He’s close by—I can hear his heartbeat.” Liam froze and listened.

Something was wrong with Theo.

“Where is he?” Liam forced out, and Isaac inhaled once, then frowned.

“I don’t know. I can’t get a scent.”

“Wait, didn’t we cross a river earlier?” Stiles asked, and Isaac nodded. “That could be why—come on!” He sprinted ahead, Liam and Isaac on his heels. When they skidded to a stop, they were at the river they’d crossed earlier. It had only taken a few seconds to get there, and the sound was louder.

There was also the distinct, disgusting smell of illness.

“Can chimeras even get sick?” Isaac asked, wrinkling his nose as he walked along the bank. While Stiles shrugged, Liam glanced back at where the others were.

“Yeah, they can. Corey was sick a little while ago—he caught what Mason, Lydia, and Stiles had.” Pacing along the bank, he listened for the heartbeat, trying to figure out where it was stronger. Theo’s heart was racing and unsteady, which wasn’t doing anything to ease his fears.

Stiles almost tripped over the chimera.

“Isaac, let the others know where we are. Liam, get over here and help me pull him out!” Stiles snapped, and Isaac bolted back up the way they had come. Meanwhile, Liam darted to Stiles’ side. Theo was lying on his stomach, halfway inside the river and unconscious.

“Theo? Theo, come on, wake up!” Liam shook him as soon as he was out, and Stiles started slapping his hands away.

“Stop shaking him, he might be hurt.” Pulling the chimera close, Stiles pressed two fingers to his neck. As he did, Theo mumbled something, cracking his eyes open. “Hey, Theo. Don’t think you can just drop us that easily, you’re stuck with us for a while. Theo?”

The chimera started coughing and retching, and within the next couple seconds had thrown up what little Liam had seen him eat that morning onto the dead leaves by Stiles’ shoes. “Sorry…” Instead of getting mad, Stiles just stroked the chimera’s hair away from his face and reassured him, then glanced at Liam.

“Hey, why don’t you go check on Isaac and the others? I’ve got this.”

“But—”

“Liam, go.” There was a slightly commanding tone to his voice, and Liam glanced down at Theo before sprinting up the hill.

How hadn’t he noticed?

+++

Theo let out a quiet groan in Stiles’ arms not long after Liam left.

When he glanced down, Stiles saw the young man’s eyes had cracked open a little more. They were glazed with fever, dull and glassy and completely unlike the almost unnaturally sharp gaze he usually had. Reaching up shakily, he touched the side of his head, frowning a little. “…’tiles? Wha…” He took in a sharp breath and the hand went to his ribs. For a second, Stiles wished he could pull pain like the wolves.

But then he was focused on more pressing matters—namely Theo being hurt.

“Hey, it’s okay, you’re okay.” Theo groaned again, louder and pained, and Stiles ran his fingers through the chimera’s hair. Every so often, the chimera would shiver and mumble something Stiles couldn’t quite figure out, which wasn’t good. He knew what hypothermia looked like and that was certainly some of the symptoms, but Theo didn’t feel cold enough. “Hey, Theo, you have to stay with me, okay? Come on, open your eyes, yeah—just like that.”

“Stiles?” Frowning, Theo blinked a few times. “Why are…where are we?” He started coughing again, and Stiles suddenly got the feeling that he wasn’t _just_ hypothermic. _Because, of course, when it’s not hunters trying to rip him apart with whatever the hell the ARCHER looked like, he’s horribly sick. And of course he’s hiding it._ “Why are you here?”

“We went on a Pack hike.”

“I’m not…’m not Pack.” Stiles ran his fingers through Theo’s hair, noticing how sweaty it was. Pre-Hell Theo had always been put together, sometimes annoyingly so. When he was living in his truck, that had changed out of necessity. He didn’t have the money (or if he did, as Stiles had a feeling he still had access to the Dread Doctors’ accounts, he wasn’t using the blood money that was there) to keep up that appearance, although he certainly tried. He’d managed to keep his living status secret from a group of lie detectors.

“Who says?”

“You…Malia…every…” He broke off with another harsh wracking fit and glanced down. His gaze must have landed on Stiles’ watch, because he frowned. “I gotta…gotta go to work. Margot…got’ll be so mad…”

“Theo, you don’t work at the diner anymore.” The chimera frowned, but didn’t say anything before he was overtaken by another coughing fit. This one ended with him coughing up whatever else had remained in his stomach next to the previous bout. Wrinkling his nose, Stiles looked away and spotted another area where they could be away from…that. “Okay, Theo, I’m going to move you just a little bit, just so we’re not…yeah.” He hooked his hands under Theo’s arms and dragged him a couple feet. The chimera didn’t do anything to help or hinder him.

“Sorry.” The word was quiet, and Stiles moved Theo’s head into his lap to stroke his hair again. _Where’s the rest of the Pack? Come on, guys, we didn’t walk that far. What, are you looking for them without howling?_

“For what?” Theo frowned and then shrugged ever so slightly. Then he was coughing again (this time without his breakfast making a reappearance, although Stiles had a feeling that was because he had nothing left in him), gasping for breath. If he wasn’t so worried because this was _Theo_ and Theo didn’t do this kind of thing, Stiles would have thought he was being overdramatic.

“Stiles!” Glancing up, he saw Scott and the others booking it down the hill. Scott skidded to a stop in the leaves beside them, frowning in concern. “Oh my gosh, that’s not good.”

“How bad is he?” Stiles asked, and Scott opened and closed his mouth a few times before glancing at Liam. “Take him, get him to the hospital. Be careful not to jolt him too much on the way.” Scott stared at him for a moment, and Stiles scooped Theo up and half-shoved him into the Alpha’s arms. “Come on, he doesn’t have time for this! Go!”

Nodding, Scott took the chimera, cradled him close, and then started running.

+++

He woke up in a bed and his first thought was _Are you kidding me?_

Cracking his eyes open, he reached up and then realised his wrists were tied to the bed. Liam was sitting next to him, dozing. “Liam.” The wolf didn’t open his eyes, and Theo tugged at the restraints. “Liam!”

With a snort, the wolf jerked awake and looked up. “Theo, you’re awake.”

“Yeah, and confused. What the heck?” He tugged at the restraints, and Liam’s face flushed. “Get me out.”

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“You’re supposed to stay in bed.”

Groaning in annoyance, Theo flopped back against the pillows and stared at the ceiling. It wasn’t like he _wanted_ to go anywhere. He didn’t exactly appreciate being _restrained to his bed_ , though. “When I get out of this, I’m going to find whoever put these on me and I am going to gut them with a plastic spork.”

“No, you aren’t.”

“Watch me.” Liam’s gaze met Theo’s and he sighed. “No, I’m not. Can you just let me out of these, though?” He tugged at the restraints, glancing over nervously. “Please? I don’t—not a huge fan of being tied down.”

“You’re staying in this bed if I have to pin you down.” Theo shrugged, and Liam moved to take the restraints off. Once they were gone, all the nervous energy that came from that faded, and Theo slumped back into the pillows with a soft sigh. “How do you feel? Want anything to eat?”

“Not really. What happened?”

“Hypothermia and pneumonia. Scott had to run you to the hospital after you passed out in the river.” Frowning, Theo counted the amount of lighthouses in the room. He must have been in Malia’s apartment—the girl was obsessed with them. “It wasn’t too bad, thankfully. You’ve only been out for a couple hours.”

Dimly, he remembered Stiles talking to him, asking questions. “The others? I mean, this is Malia’s place.”

“It was the closest to the hospital. Melissa wouldn’t let you out otherwise.”

“Yeah, that sounds like—wait, did you say _pneumonia?”_ When Liam nodded, Theo sat up and stared at the blankets. “I thought it was just a cold.”

“Nope.” Pulling out his phone, Liam climbed into bed next to him, and Theo melted into his side. “Anyways, the Pack are all getting some lunch and some antibiotics for you. You’re on bed rest for the next couple weeks.” Theo groaned, leaning into Liam all the more. “On the bright side, Thomas Sanders just came out with a new video. Sanders Sides binge?”

“Absolutely.”

**Author's Note:**

> I accidentally spoiled a side’s name for myself by reading through the comments of the last Sanders Sides video, and let me say I was pleasantly surprised but also disappointed with myself.  
> So far, I’m having a hard time disliking pretty much any person on the show, which is completely different from how I thought of them when I was writing “I Must Be Good For Something” (as you can probably tell). They all have their own little traits, and even though I wish that some of the show’s writing was handled better I can’t complain. I haven’t written a show yet. (I am working on that bit, so the next fic’s end might have a trailer of what I’m working on if any of y’all are interested by that) There’s a lot to like the show (I’m actually finding myself liking some of the couples that exist; that actually includes Stiles/Malia, even though I prefer Sterek. They’re really cute and I think them being together actually did build them both up, even if they’re not together by the end of the series).   
> Anyways, I’m going to watch the first four or five episodes of Season Five today, so that’s going to be fun. I hope y’all are ready for what’s coming tomorrow (or, like, sometime in the next couple of days). I know you’re probably going to hate me afterwards, though. Also, I’m still dealing with the fact that I turn seventeen in exactly one week.  
> Now, into the fray once more!


End file.
